Philippine Navy's lead SSV sails towards home

MANILA, -- The first strategic sealift vessel (SSV) on order for the Philippine Navy (PN) has departed Surabaya and is now on its way towards Manila, a PT PAL official told IHS Jane's on 9 May.

The landing platform dock-like vessel, which will be the future BRP Tarlac (601), was sent off on the previous day in a ceremony presided over by Indonesian vice-president Jusuf Kalla and representatives from the Philippine government.

Tarlac is the first of two SSVs acquired under a contract worth USD92 million signed in June 2014 between PT PAL and the Philippine government. The vessel was launched in January 2016 and began its first sea trials in April the same year, according to PT PAL.

The platform features an overall length of 123 m, an overall breadth of 21.8 m, and a draft of 5 m. The ship can accommodate a crew of 126, and has a lift capacity for 500 troops. It can also carry up to two 23 m landing craft utility vessels in its well dock, according to specifications provided by PT PAL.

A company official IHS Jane's spoke to in March 2016 during a visit to PT PAL's shipyard in Surabaya confirmed that Tarlac will be delivered to the PN without any weapons attached. However, the vessel has been designed to be armed with one 76 mm gun on the foredeck as the main armament and two stern-facing 25 mm guns.

Tarlac is scheduled to be handed over to the Philippine Department of National Defense in a formal ceremony in Manila on 13 May.